Seat and cover structure



May 8, 1962 s. YOUNG SEAT AND COVER STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 8, 1960 MN mw D w w on I T if \1 j MA {Q 12 LP INVENTOR 52 :WW00D You/vs ATTORNEY Uite This invention relates to new and useful improvements in seat and cover members and more particularly to such members in cooperation with water closets and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide seat and cover members which are readily removable from a water closet or other supporting structure.

Another object is to provide such seat and cover members which are so removable without special tools. 7

Another object is to provide a novel hinge supporting structure for seat and cover members.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as apart of this specification, there is fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a water closet having the seat and cover members of this invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in section on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a detail view looking from right to left of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 1 designates the top portion of the bowl of a water closet having rear flanges through which laterally spaced bolt holes 2 extend vertically as is well known in the art. Supported in the holes 2, there are vertically extending supporting or bearing posts 3 having transverse horizontal bearing apertures 4 therethrough which are aligned with each other. Positioned between the posts 3 is the rear portion 5 of a toilet or closet seat 6, the portion 5 preferably being in the form of an extension so that the posts 3 extend upward in corner notches. In the portion 5 and opening oppositely through the seat side faces, there are aligned cylindrical sockets 7 (of which only one is shown). In each of the sockets, there is tightly fitted a metal tube or liner 8 which terminates at its inner end short of the base of the aperture or socket 7 so as to provide a shoulder or annular abutment9 within each socket. Freely reciprocal in each of the tubes '8 there is a hinge pin or trunnion formed by a cylindrical rod 10 which substantially fits the tube. Therods 10 project from the sockets 7 and tubes 8 and are held in extended position by helical coil springs 11. Each of the springs 11 has the end which abuts the rod 10 clamped about the neck of a headed end portion 12 of the rod. The other end of each spring is expanded so that the end turn 13 at the base portion of the socket will abut the annular shoulder 9 upon movement of the rod 10 to withdraw it from its socket. However, the diameter of the spring end turn taken in conjunction with the resilience of the spring is such that spring and rod can be inserted into position through the bore of the tube 8 substantially to the position Shown. By exercising considerable tension or pull on the rod, the rod and spring can be removed from the tube 8; but it is not intended that this be done in normal practice. It should be noted that the spring 11 can easily be compressed or shortened by compression to a length such that the full length of the rod 10 can be completely housed or passed into the socket or tube 8. The rods 10 are thus moved inwardly sufficiently to pass completely out of the post apertures 4 which thus releases the seat 6 from its supporting posts 3 so that the seat may then be lifted free of the bowl, the cover, of course, having been first removed as will be described.

Each of the rods 10 projects completely through and Pate 0 beyond its post 3 so as to provide an outboard bearing or supporting portion 14. Overlying the seat 6 is the cover 15 which has a pair of laterally spaced downward extending legs 16 adjacent its rear outer corners such that the legs 16 extend into the space provided by the notched rear corners of the seat 6. The legs 16 embrace the posts 3 or lie respectively adjacent the outer side faces thereof so as to align with the bearing rods 10. Each leg 16 has a cylindrical aperture 17 therethrough aligned with its rod 10 and having an annular shoulder 18 facing its adjacent supporting post 3. In each aperture 17 there is a guide sleeve or tubular member 19 having an annular flange 20 which seats on the shoulder 18 so as to limit outward movement of the sleeves 19 or hold them in their apertures 17. Each sleeve 19 has an internal annular abutment or stop membe'r 21. The internal diameter of the sleeves 19 substantially fits the outer ends of the rods 10 which pass freely into the bore 22 of the sleeves. In the bore 22 of each sleeve, thereis the head or flanged end 23 of a plunger 24 which slidirigly fits through the aperture of the annulus 21 and has a thumb or finger knob 25 projecting from the outer end of its sleeve. The parts '19, 24 and 25 are preferably of plastic material, such ashigh impact polystyrene, the part 25 being bonded vto the plunger 24 by cement or other suitable ineans. It should be noted that the cylindrical knob 25 reciprocally fits the outer bore of the sleeve 19 and that the extent of movement of the knob 25 .is suflicient to move the rod end 14 inward to clear the sleeve 19 so that the leg 16 is free of and can be removed from the rod 10. When the cover has been removed from the oppositely extending rods 10 as above described, then the rods 10 may be further depressed or moved inwardly by the use of a pencil, nail or other similar element until the rods are removed from their respective apertures 4 whereupon the seat 6 can be removed from the bowl as above described. 7

It will be apparent that the sleeves 19 are preferred but that in certain cover structures, the legs 16 may have suflicient lateral thickness to encompass the length of the sleeves 19 and therefore for this reason or by reason of the material from which the covers are formed, the sleeves may be dispensed with, that is, the sleeves need not be separate elements, but can be unitary with the legs.

It will be apparent further that the seat and cover can be reapplied to the bowl and the supporting posts 3 by reversing the steps above set forth in removing the seat and cover.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a toilet seat and cover structure, spaced supporting posts having aligned apertures therethrough, a seat member having a portion positioned between said posts, said portion having elongated cylindrical holes therein opening through opposite sides of said portion and in substantial alignment with said apertures, a rod extending through one of said apertures and into the adjacent hole, a second rod extending through the other of said apertures and into its adjacent hole, a cover member overlying said seat member and having supporting portions with guideways therethrough aligned with said rods, each of said supporting portions having an annular internal flange within its guideway, each of said guideways being aligned with and receiving one of said rods whereby said cover member is supported on said posts, a plurality of coil springs positioned one in each of said holes and holding said rods in position to extend through their respective apertures and into said guideways, and a pair of plungers positioned one in each of said guideways and guided by its respective flange and being in abutting engagement with one of said rods, a guide knob on each of said plungers and projecting exteriorly of its guideway for finger engagement and guided in its said guideway, said plungers being operable by finger engagement to move their respective rods into said holes against the force of said springs a distance just beyond the guideways of said cover member to thereby release said cover member from said rods.

2. In a toilet seat and cover structure, spaced supporting posts having aligned apertures therethrough, a seat member having one portion positioned between said posts, said portion having elongated cylindrical holes therein opening through opposite sides of said portion and in substantial alignment with said apertures, a rod-extending through one of said apertures and into the adjacent hole, a second rod extending through the other of said apertures and into its adjacent hole, a cover member overlying said seat member and having supporting portions with apertures therethrough aligned with said rods, a pair of tubular guide members positioned one in each of supporting portions, each of said guide members being aligned with and receiving one of said rods whereby said cover member is supported on said posts, a plurality of coil springs positioned one in each of said holes and holding said rods in position to extend through their respective apertures and into said guide members, and a pair of plungers positioned one in each of said guide members in abutting engagement with one of said rods, said plungers extending exteriorly of their guide members for finger engagement and being operable by finger engagement to move their respective rods into said holes against the force of said springs for a distance just beyond the supporting portions of said cover member to thereby release said cover member from said rods.

3. In a toilet seat and cover structure, spaced supporting posts having aligned apertures therethrough, a seat member having one portion positioned between said posts, said portion having elongated cylindrical holes therein opening through opposite sides of said portion and in substantial alignment with said apertures, a rod extending through one of said apertures and into the adjacent hole, a second rod extending through the other of said apertures and into its adjacent hole, a cover member overlying said seat member and having supporting portions with apertures therethrough aligned with said rods, a pair of tubular guide members positioned one in each of supporting portions, each of said guide members being aligned with and receiving one of said rods whereby said cover member is supported on said posts, a plurality of coil springs positioned one in each of said holes and holding said rods in position to extend through their respective apertures and into said guide members, tubular members positioned one in each of said holes and surrounding said springs and said rods, each of said springs having an enlarged end portion engageable with the end wall of its surrounding tubular member to hold the spring in its hole, and a pair of finger actuated plungers positioned one in each of said guide members in abutting engagement with one of said rods, said plungers extending exteriorly of their guide members for finger engagement and being operable by finger engagement to move their respective rods into said holes against the force of said springs for a distance just beyond the supporting portion of said cover member to thereby release said cover member from said rods.

4. In a toilet seat and cover structure, spaced supporting posts having aligned apertures therethrough, a seat member having one portion positioned between said posts, said portion having elongated cylindrical holes therein opening through opposite sides of said portion and in substantial alignment with said apertures, a rod extending through one of said apertures and into the adjacent hole, a second rod extending through the other of said apertures and into its adjacent hole, a cover member overlying said seat member and having supporting portions with apertures therethrough aligned with said rods, a pair of tubular guide members positioned one in each of said supporting portions, each of said guide members being aligned with and receiving one of said rods whereby said cover member is supported on said posts, a plurality of coil springs positioned one in each of said holes and holding said rods in position to extend through their respective apertures and into said guide members, a pair of finger actuated plungers positioned one in each of said guide members in abutting engagement with one of said rods, and means to hold each plunger in its guide member, a guide knob guided in and projecting from each of 'said guide members and secured on one of said plungers and being operable to move its plunger to move their respective rods into said holes against the force of said springs for a distance just beyond the supporting portions of said cover member to thereby release said cover member from said rods.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Leslie Nov. 25, 1959 

